Kishan Tadvi capped off the Maharashtra State Athletic Championships with his third gold medal - this time in the cross-country event (5000m) - at the Sports Authority of India's Kandivli campus yesterday.
Tadvi, who finished with a timing of 15:17.9 seconds yesterday, had clinched the gold medals in the boys U-17 1500m and 3000m events as well.u00a0In fact, Tadvi broke his own national record of 4:08.1 with a time of 04:05.6 in the 1500m on Thursday.
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Kishan Tadvi in action at the SAI’s Kandivli campus on Thursday. Pic/Nimesh Dave.
“It was a special feeling to break my own record and that too at a state meet. I hope I am able to do well in the nationals,” Tadvi told MiD DAY.
The Class X student, who belongs to the Tadvi Bhil tribe in Akkalkuwa (Nandurbar), added that he was grateful to the state government’s scholarship scheme devised to give free education to bright students from tribal belt.
“I was studying in Janta School (in Dindori village of Nashik district) till Class V. For me, life was about going to school and living with my parents, who are farmers, in a village near Akkalkuwa. As I was good in studies, I was one of the 40 students selected under the state’s tribal scholarship scheme in 2008 and was admitted to the Bhonsala Military School in Nashik. Since then my life has changed for good.”
Kishan narrated how the family was sometimes forced to starve during his childhood. “My father has some land on a hill-top. Agriculture depends on rains and there have been times when, due to scanty rainfall, we haven’t consumed food for many days.
“I don’t starve in Nashik. Sports gave a new meaning to my life. I want to win an Olympic medal for my country some day and make my parents proud,” said Kishan.
He explained how training with 2010 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Kavita Raut’s coach, Vijender Singh, gave his life a new direction.
“I was always a good student. But I was lonely staying at the hostel away from my parents. I used to see Vijender sir train other kids at school. That’s when I approached him to train me. Today, with his help, I am confident that I can be a good athlete and win laurels for the country.”
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